New steps to strengthen airplane safety

Safety is at the core of Boeing. After the 737 MAX accidents, it has intensified its commitment to continuously improve the safety of its products and services. The company is taking several actions to strengthen the culture of safety throughout Boeing and the broader aerospace industry.

These are the initial fundamental changes it’s making to strengthen the culture of safety throughout Boeing and the broader aerospace industry:

1. A permanent aerospace safety committee: Established in August 2019, the new board of directors committee oversees and ensures the safe design, development, manufacture, production, operation, maintenance and delivery of the company’s products and services.
2. Create a product and services safety organization: Reporting directly to the company’s chief engineer and the board of directors’ aerospace safety committee, this organization will review all aspects of product safety.
3. Realign the engineering function: Engineers across Boeing will report directly to the chief engineer, whose primary focus is on the engineering function and the related needs of the company.
4. Establish a design requirements program: This program will incorporate historical design materials, data and information, best practices, lessons learned and detailed after-action reports to reinforce Boeing’s commitment to continuous improvement.
5. Enhance the continued operation safety program: To increase transparency and ensure visibility of safety-related issues, the Continued Operation Safety Program now will require the chief engineer’s review of all safety and potential safety reports.
6. Re-examine flight deck design and operation: To anticipate the needs of future pilot populations, the company will re-examine assumptions around flight deck design and operation in partnership with its airline customers and industry members.
7. Expand the Safety Promotion Center: The Safety Promotion Center is a place for employees to learn and reflect on Boeing’s safety culture and renew personal commitments to safety. The company will extend its role and reach to its global network.
8. Strengthen safety systems: New safety leadership roles, empowered safety review boards and an expanded anonymous safety-reporting system will strengthen safety management systems at Boeing and throughout its supply chain.
9. Lead in new capabilities: Additional investments are being made in enhanced flight simulation and computing as well as advanced R&D for future flight decks. Broader plans are underway for improving the global aviation safety ecosystem.
10. Invest in talent: To address the global need for aerospace talent, Boeing will sharpen its focus on pilot maintenance technician training and STEM education.